Saturday, 18 January 2014

The Risen Dust - Launch Night Thoughts

As I sat
‘playing the author’ and signing books at the launch of The Risen Dust last night a very dear friend noted his suspicion of
the whole ‘queue up and get your book signed’ thing. I suspect he’s right to be
a bit suspicious – there’s a whole lot of ego-gratification that goes on in
such situations. It’s probably not what Christian vocation is about.
Nonetheless, getting a book out there is a rare enough process that it’s
probably worth commenting on. So, in the spirit of self-indulgence and by way
of thanks to all those who’ve supported me over the years (including the many
who couldn’t get along) I thought I’d blog about last night's launch.

In many
ways the launch of The Risen Dust
felt very different from the launch of Dazzling
Darkness fifteen or so months ago. Yes, both events took place in the
magnificent surrounds of Manchester Cathedral and both were brilliantly
supported. However, the DD launch
felt about as edgy and electric as a book launch can get – maybe publishing a
book that might set off a whole lot of controversy always feels like that. I
was so thankful for the love of friends and family that night and have remained
so ever since.

The Risen Dust, on the other hand, feels – in many ways - a
less explosive offering. In offering a book of poems and stories on the themes
of passion and resurrection I’m conscious I’m walking a well-trodden path. My anxiety last night was that people would be disappointed. Many of
the people at the launch were not – I suspect – massive poetry fans and I was
conscious of constantly speaking a language that might feel alien and alienating.
Equally, there is always a danger of offering cliché when talking about ‘the
Easter Event’. It has been more extensively picked over than a baboon’s hairy
shoulders.

Yet, I was
moved by the response of the audience. Perhaps the poems were a little difficult
for folk to absorb at times, but I was touched by the openness towards the
monologues and stories. I’ve long felt and argued that the patriarchal picture
of God – the Father whose power and authority has the doubled-edged offering of
threat and protection – simply will not do. I was delighted by how strongly
folk responded to the more tentative, relational and indwelling theological
instincts especially embodied in the stories and monologues. I was blown away by the warm
response to the story I shared based on my experience of being bullied for
being trans.

I know God
is not cool or fashionable and I’m not sure anyone should much worry about that.
I sense God doesn’t. But last night it was a delight to share poems, stories
and conversation with people from a variety of faiths and none about what on
earth we mean when we try and talk about the God in Christ – the one who is
Risen Dust. I hope The Risen Dust is
a small contribution to the ongoing effort to articulate a god more interesting
that that cheesy Aunt Sally (Uncle Sidney?), The Wise Guy in The Sky aka The
Beardy Sky-Fairy.

2 comments:

Hmmm... well, I don't generally queue up to get a book signed where neither (a) I haven't already read the book nor (b) have I heard the person speak (or read a previous book). That's because if I'm going to get it signed, I want to either ask the author something (perhaps if I've heard them speak, or read an earlier work) - or thank them for what they've said that night (or written before). And then the signature is, when I see it, a reminder of an interaction with them - not simply a trophy hunted by me.

Looking forward to reading your new book. If you're coming down South (steady on now) and free would love it if there was an event like the one you did for DD in London. If not, is there any particular way of purchasing it which gets you more in the way of royalties?